Bridgeton pioneer., 1887-10-06
SONS OF VETERANS.
The Founding Of a Popular
Order.

Few people know how the large and
rapidly growing organization known
as the Sons of Veterans came to exist.
Indeed it is doubtful if many of the
members of the two camps of the Sons
of Veterans here can tell who was the
founder of the organization whose
object is to perpetuate the memory of
the men who fought to preserve the
Union. This organization, which is
sweeping all before it in the tide of
popularity, was founded at the sug-
gestion of a Camden gentleman-Dr.
&. S. F. Pfeiffer, a member of Lee Post,
G.. A. R., of that city, in 1878. He
sent the following circular to a num-
ber of the members of the GRAND
Army in the Eastern section:
A suggestion to organize the Grand
Army of the Republic into a perma-
nent and perpetual institution, by
G. S. F. Pfeiffer, NJ. D., of Post 5,
y. j., date surgeon in the army.
Inasmuch as the G. A. r. is not only
kindly countenanced by the larger
portion of the nation, and our name
Decoration Day being legalized or at
least duly observed by the Govern
ment of the United States, as we'll
as by some of the individual States of
the Union, it quite naturally occurred
to some of the comrades, that the g.
A. R., as a body, should decree and
declare our institution a permanent
and perpetual society.
In the natural course of events, we,
the present members of the G. A. r.
who served in the late war, in order to
save the flag and the institutions of
our country, will be gathered, one by
will gradually die out, and live only in
history. Therefore, to prevent such
an occurrence, and in order to trans
NIT, as it were, to the future gener-
ations of our people the spirit of
loyalty which inspired and actuated
us during the late war of the Rebellion.
we propose to enlist and to admit into.
our ranks our sons and grandsons,
when they shall have attained the
proper age and qualifications of a.
soldier. They might at first be re-
ceived as cadets-and subsequently,, if
satisfactory, mustered in as soldiers OF
the g. A. R., and thus our present
organization be perpetual for all future
time.
CAMDEN, N. J., May 25th, 1875
Many approved Of the doctors sug-i
gestion, and it was discussed around
the camp fires of the various Posts. 1t
was talked Of by many of the boys in
blue in this city, and considered quite
good idea. All the fathers who had
fought to preserve the Union were
anxious that their sons should become
members of the camp when founded.
1t was decided not to admit the
younger generation to the Grand
Army, but allow them to maintain a
separate organization, which would
eventually take the place of the vet
Grams when they had answered their
last roll call and been mustered in for
eternity. A nucleus was formed, and
the order, as its objects became better
known, and the ranks of the veterans
grew thinner, increased, until at the
annual encampment, at Newburgh, N.
Y, recently, two hundred delegates,
representing over 1000 members, were
present.
The camps in this city are named
aIter Phil. Kearney and Gen. Custer,
and each of them has good roster
Lately an organization was formed
known as the Daughters of Liberty, as
an auxiliary 20 one of the camps of
this city.
The Sons of Veterans is good
order, and all young men whose
fathers fought for the Union, should
be connected with it.